Norman Rockwell’s Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving Week Monday!
After today I will be taking a brief hiatus from the blog until after the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
On to today's dentistry and health headlines:
Individuals with fibromyalgia syndrome routinely present to dental professionals for oral healthcare needs, and orofacial pain complaints may be part of the constellation of symptoms reported by these patients. Temporomandibular disorders are common in the general population but appear to be expressed at a higher rate in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome and may have a significant impact on oral health as well as general well-being. [1,3] At this time, it is unknown whether orofacial complaints represent a comorbid condition associated with fibromyalgia syndrome, and the cause-effect relationship between these 2 conditions requires further investigation. [1,3] Oral burning sensations seem to be prevalent at a higher frequency in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome and may be correlated with neurologic phenomena such as central hyperexcitability.  Future studies will provide a deeper understanding of the relationship between orofacial pain complaints and fibromyalgia syndrome.Fear of the Dentist Is Passed On to Children by Their Parents
Dental providers must have a clear understanding of the systemic effects of fibromyalgia syndrome because it can affect the provision of care. For example, patients with fibromyalgia syndrome who have diffuse musculoskeletal pain may have difficulty maintaining a comfortable position in the dental chair while receiving treatment. Medical treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome often includes pharmacologic agents to manage various aspects of the condition. These agents can have significant implications for oral healthcare, increasing risk for xerostomia or interacting with other medications used in dentistry.  Patients may present for routine dental care with orofacial complaints without a diagnosis of fibromyalgia syndrome, and the astute clinician should not hesitate to refer a patient to the appropriate healthcare provider for further evaluation if an underlying fibromyalgia syndrome diagnosis is suspected.
Fear of visiting the dentist is a frequent problem in paediatric dentistry. A new study confirms the emotional transmission of dentist fear among family members and analyses the different roles that mothers and fathers might play.
A new study conducted by scientists at the Rey Juan Carlos University of Madrid highlights the important role that parents play in the transmission of dentist fear in their family.
Previous studies had already identified the association between the fear levels of parents and their children, but they never explored the different roles that the father and the mother play in this phenomenon.
América Lara Sacido, one of the authors of the study explains that "along with the presence of emotional transmission of dentist fear amongst family members, we have identified the relevant role that fathers play in transmission of this phobia in comparison to the mother."
The authors confirmed that the higher the level of dentist fear or anxiety in one family member, the higher the level in the rest of the family. The study also reveals that fathers play a key role in the transmission of dentist fear from mothers to their children as they act as a mediating variable.
"Although the results should be interpreted with due caution, children seem to mainly pay attention to the emotional reactions of the fathers when deciding if situations at the dentist are potentially stressful," states Lara Sacido.
Consequently, transmission of fear from the mother to the child, whether it be an increase or reduction of anxiety, could be influenced by the reactions that the father displays in the dentist.
Dr. Donald Fisher, 69; dentist, photographer with sense of adventure
At 69, Dr. Donald Fisher set his sights on hiking to the snowcapped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain. Only the most ambitious try to reach the more-than 19,000-foot summit, and the expedition seemed made for Dr. Fisher, whose motto was: “If you’re not living on the edge, you haven’t lived yet.”
But when he reached 14,500 feet, his body gave out. Dr. Fisher was devastated, and when he returned to the United States, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He died three weeks later.
“He packed quite a lot of living into what was an abbreviated life,” said Mike Topalian, of Worcester, a friend of nearly 20 years.
Dr. Fisher died Oct. 6 in Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He had lived in Wrentham, where he practiced dentistry for four decades, and previously resided in Needham.
Boca Raton dentist, brother accused of breaking into Boca business
A Boca Raton dentist and his brother are facing criminal charges after police say they broke into a business and removed binders containing client information.
Michael Rolfe, 58, who also goes by the name Zev Rolfe, and dentist Douglas Rolfe, 53, both of Boca Raton, were booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on Friday.
Michael Rolfe faces charges of burglary and fraud while Douglas Rolfe faces charges of burglary and embezzlement. Both were released from jail Friday; after Michael posted $4,000 bond and Douglas posted $6,000 bond.
Boca Raton Police officers responded to the office of Police News Magazine, located at 7999 N. Federal Hwy., in Boca Raton on Nov. 8 to investigate a burglary.
The alleged victim, Roland Reitinger, said that the Rolfe brothers the day before went into the business and took a black binder that held contracts, contacts, client information, proposals and invoices from the office.
Enjoy your day!